The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-07-28

is to be blending let the state take charge
of the church. Divine law is authority for
the severance; for Christ said,render unto
Cesar that which is Cesar's, and
unto God that which is Gods.
The church belongs to the member, not
the member to the church, and the
preacher is but hired servant of the
church The Bible does not condemn the
use, but does condemn the abuse ;, of wine.
So it does with other things, for 'the
gluttonous wretch shall fry in his fat.
There have been bob-tailed preachers
who proclaimed that young ladies would
be cast into hell fire because they wore
fine clothes. Shall they wear fig leaves,
lest they be in danger of damnation from
putting on silk dress? Wine, the
speaker said, was frequently alluded to
in the New Testament, and so
great an authority as the Savior himself,
sanctioned its use, by making it at the
marriage feast, and yet, if some of these
mast-fed preachers had been there, they
would have made an affidavit against him
and had him put in the calaboose for max
ing it. The "biled" wine question was
rot presented, and the query was asked, if
notwithstanding wines are used at the
SdCrdmeuU, why WAS III ueCes-
sary to exempt wine for the
sacrament from the operation of the
amendment. The fact is, said the speaker,
there are some preachers on the stump
who, if you hear them talk, would lead to
the belief that God has made a mistake
in the plan of salvation, and the only way
to remedy it is to amend the
constitution of the state of Texas.
To listen to these preachers forces the be-
lief that the old way of saying grace has
gone by, and the sheriff is now required
to land sinner into heaven by the writ of
certiorari, and if the sinner should happen
to be obstreperous they will proposeoto
drive him into heaven In police wagon.
| Who are these preachers of prohibition?
They proclaim themselves the salt of the
earth. This may or may not be true, but
one thing is certain-after the 4th of
August they will be more thoroughly
sailed than was ever the saltiest dry her
ring. They talk of their goodness, and
stand in public places, as did the Pharlsees
of old, but when the 4th of August has
passed it will be a case of Sad u-cees.
Christ tasted upon the mountain for forty
days, attended b. the devil, and when the
summit was reached and the devil offered
him all of that magnificent dominion If he
would but give one token of alteration,
the Savior did not strike him down as he
could have done, but with wave of his
hand, said: sect the behind me,
Satan," and he got behind
him, and turned into one
of these fsh-eyed prohibition mission
aries. Judge Cook discussed a number
of other phases of the question, and, in
the course of his argument said that the
top minnow democrats, who say it isn't
sumptuary, say that which is contrary to
the fundame ntal teachings of democracy
Eleven states have declared that
it is sumptuary, and 1t shoulo
be buried face downward and so deep thai
when it wakes mp it will wake up II
China.
Prohibition will make the line of de-
narration, and the true blue democrac.
will never shake hands with these mel
until the heresy is abandoned. Kansas
so much prated about, came In for ful
share of attention, and the saloon in tn
boot brought down the crowd.
j In concluding, the speaker deplored tn
virulence that had been worked up in thu
} campaign, and alluded to the filings tina
! have been made at Roberts, Ross ant
Mills. Why was it so? The amendmen
was here to be voted upon. Vote upon 1t
J if you are for it, vote; if you are agains
it, vote. At all events, vote, and let tn
expression of the people be Known.